Turbotransmission



July 25, 1944. R. J. MILLER 2,354,396

Arme/VH I f A B .speed of rotation of the turbine.

Patented July .25, -194.4

UNITED STATES] PATENT OFFICE Raymond J. Miller, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Hydraulic Brake Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of California Application April 2s, 1941, serial Nc. 390,812

' 3 claims. (ci. eso-54) This invention relates to turbotransmissions.

I and particularly to turbotransmissions for motor vehicles.

In fluid transmissions of all types, there is a differential in the speed of the impeller and the speed of the turbine. 'lhis differential is generally termed slip. It is not constant, but varies under different conditions. The maximum slip occurs when the vehicle is standing still with its motor operating at stalling speed, and the slip occurs when the vehicle is proceeding at full speed. For illustration, the motor of a vehicle idles at about 600 R. P. M.; hence the impeller is driven at that speed and the associated turbine connectedthrough the driven shaft to the differential gearing of the rear y axle of the vehicle is at zero R. P. M. Thus, there is a difference of 600 R. P. M. between the speed of the impeller and the speed of the turbine.

The instant invention contemplates a centrifugally actuated valve forcontrol of the flow of fluid in the unit. The valve is carried by the tur-- bine and its operation is dependent upon the transmission is operating at a fair rate of speed, the valve is open so that the fluid hows throughits normal path of circulation into the transmission; but when the speedA decreases to a predetermined degree, the valve returns to its alternate position so that the flow of the fluid is diverted through a controlled passage leading to the transmission, characterized in that the control restricts the passage to cause thepressure induced on the fluid by the pump to produce turning moments on the turbine in opposite direction from the hydraulic drag produced between the impeller trifugally' actuated valve';

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a control ele- I ment and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the screwfor the reaction member.

Referring to the drawings for more specific details of the invention, I0 represents the crank case of an internal combustion engine, and4 I2 the crank shaft of the engine having a flange I4. The crank case I has secured thereto a bell housing I6 enclosing a torque converter indicated generally at I8. As shown, thetorque converter includes a housing having two parts 22 and 24 boltedl or otherwise secured together. The part 22 has a hub 26 suitably secured to the iiange ,I4--of the crank shaft I2, and the part 24 has a hub 28 in axial alignment with the hub 26. A ring gear 36 is suitably secured on the part 22 for attachment of a starter, not shown, and

' suitably secured on the inner wall of the part and turbine :by the speed of rotation vof the in if pellerjcomplementary tothe R. P. M. of the 'motor of the vehicle, so-as to balance the turning moments with the drag.

An object of the invention is to balance the' hydraulic friction in a uid coupling.

Another` object ofthe invention is to provide a fluid coupling and means for control of fluid "*flow in the coupling so as to provide for free circulation of the fluid at fair rates cf speed and to so govern the ow of the fluid at low rates of speed as to produce turning moments on the"l driven member of theitransmission in opposite direction to the hydraulic resistance between the driving and driven members of the transmission.

Another object of the invention is to provide jand a discharge port 5D.v

'22 is a plurality ofimpeller blades 32 supporting spider also has an opening 42 therethrough disposed eccentrically with relation to the hub 28 on the housing. 'I'he wall defining the opening 42 provides a chamber 44 for the pump, and a rotor 46 is splined on the hub 28 within the chamber.

of pump may be employed. A

A ring 52'mounted on one side of the spider has thereon a sleeve 54 extended eccentrically through the chamber 44, concentrically through the rotor 46 and also through a bearing 56 in the.,

hub 28 and into the housing 20 in axial alignment with the shaft l2, and a passage 56 through the ring* 52 communicates with the discharge port 5c. The ring 52 has thereon a concentrically disposed ange 60 supporting a fluid seal 62. A ring 64 mounted on the other side of the spider provides a cover plate for the chamber 44, and this ring has a concentrically disposed flange 66 sup- 'I he pump also has an inlet port 48,

-Any preferred type 2 l `assesses porting a iluid seal on the hub 28, and a passage 88 through the ring connects a passage 10 to the inlet port 48 of the pump.

A center shaft 12, supported for rotation in the sleeve 54 on a bearing 14 in the hub 28 of the housing and on a needle bearing 18 in the sleeve, has a passage 18 therethrough communicating with the passage 58 vleading to the discharge port 50 of the pump. The center-.shaft also has a flange 80, and secured to this flange is a clutch member 82. V

A driven shaft 84 journaied in a bushing 88 in the flange. 80 of the center shaftin axial alignment with the center shaft has splined thereon a. collar 88 carrying a clutch member 80 for cooperation with the clutch member 82. It is,`of course, to be understood that the clutch members 82 and 90 constitute component parts of a conventional clutch operative in the usual manner.

. A collar splined on the center shaft 12 is held against displacement by a washer 84 interposed between the collar andthe bearing 14 of the cen- .ter shaft. The collar has a heavy circumferential ilange 88 spaced from the hub 28 by the washer 94. 'I'he flange supports a web 98 and has spaced pockets in its body. The spacing of the flange 98 from the -hub 28 provides an annular passage |02 communicating with the housing 20. The flange 88 has therein 'a radially disposed chamber |04, provided. with spaced ports |08, |08, ||0 and ||2. 'I'he ports |08 and |08 are connected by a passage ||4 to the passage 18 through the center shaft. the Dort ||8 provides a communication between the passage |82 opening into the housing chamber and the passage |14, and the port ||2 communicates with the spaced pockets |00 in the flange 88.

A reciprocable piston ||8 in the chamber |84 is normally held on its seat ||8 by a spring |28 interposed between the piston and the head of the chamber. This piston has circumferential grooves |22 and |24 adapted to alternately connect the ports 08 and 8 and the ports |08 and.

. secured to the web 88 and tothe inner shroud section |34.

A stout sleeve |38 fitted on the sleeve 54 has external threads |48 provided with rounded approaches |42. 'I'his sleeve is in abutting relation .to a pin bearing |44, also fitted on the sleeve 84 for support of a rotatable sleeve |48, frictionally held against rotation by an expansible member or a parallel ybrake |48 interposed between the sleeve |48 and the sleeve 54, and the housing 28 has passages |50 therein communicating with PassagesA |52 through the bearing 58 in the hub 28 for the return of fluid from the housing 28 t0) the source of supply. The sleeve |48 has a ange |54 provided with-threads |58 corresponding in pitch to the pitch of the threads I 48 on the sleeve |38, and the threads |58 are notched to provide Y dogs |58. A ring |88 is tted on the sleeve 54 in abutting relation to the4 stout sleeve |88. The ring |88 and the sleeve |28 are iixedly secured to one another and to the sleeve 54.

A carrier |82 mounted for travel on the sleeves |38 and |48 has threads |84 for cooperation with 78 the threads |40 onthe stout sleeve |88 and the threads |58 in the flange |54 on the sleeve |48, and arranged on thev threads |84 of the carrier are dogs |88 for cooperation with the dogs |58 in v the iiuid circuit in the housing 20 between thefirst yand second stages ofthe turbine to increase or decrease the torque. To eilectively control this movement of the reaction member, a ring |18 seated on the ring |88 has thereon a plurality "of spaced rods |18 extended through openings in the web |18 of the reaction member, and sleeved on these rods between the -web |10 and the ring |18 are springs |80 of graduated length operative to progressively increase resistance to movement of the reaction member to position the vanes thereon in the iluid flow. This feature provides the basis of a co-pending application entitled, Turbotransmissions, iled September 19, 1940, Serial No. 357,491, and is described in the instant application merely for the purpose of clarity as to the operation of the structure herein disclosed.

The ring is spaced from the heavy ilange 98 so as to provide an annular channel |82 constituting a communication between the chamber |04 and the housing 20, and the face of the ring |80 adjacent the ilange 88 has spaced pockets |84 adapted to successively register with the pockets |00 communicating with the chamber |04 by port ||2, which controls the ilow of fluid through the port ||2 so as to balance the pressure created by the pump with the hydraulic drag produced 0n the-turbomembers induced by the power plant.

In a normal operation, assuming that the unit is filled with fluid to its normalv capacity, transmission of force from the power plant through the crank shaft |2 results in driving the impeller. The impeller energizes the uid in the fluid circuit, and the energy of the fluid is received on the vanes constituting the first stage |28 of the turbine and on the reaction vanes |12 of the re.- ailtliaon member |88, causing rotation of the turb This rotation of the turbine results in driving the center shaft 12 and the driven shaft 84 clutched thereto. Upon rotation of the impeller the pump 38 is driven. and iluid is delivered by the pump through the bore of the center shaft into lthenum circuit.

As the speed of rotation of the impeller increases, the .energy of the uid increases proportionately, and this increased energy of the fluid acting on the vanes of the turbine causes increase in speed of the turbine. As this increasedspeed vapproaches that of the impeller, the angle of the fluid leaving the first stage of the turbine shifts from impinging on the faces of the reaction vanes |12 to impinge upon the backs of the reaction vanes, causing the reaction member |88 to spiral on the threaded sleeve |28 out of the tluid circ t onto the sleeve |48, and as the reaction m ber retracts. the index tabs |14 on the ractigfevanes are moved to a position Just within the cir uit, and under this condition the unit functions vas a fluid coupling. l

During this stage of the operation, the piston I8 is held under the influence of centrifugal force against the resistance of the spring |28 sov that the ports |08 and ||8 register withthe groove |22 in the piston. The pump 88 delivers fluid throuh Cult.

accesos' the passage 1l in the center shaft. the passage lil and port Ill into the groove |22 in the piston, thence through port ill and passage |02 into the iluid circuit, and continues to do so while the turbine is rotating at a predetermined speed.

When the speed of the turbine decreases. the piston III is urged by the spring III to register -the ports i" and Ill with the groove |24 in the Having thus described the various features oi! the invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fluid transmission comprising a primary means for energizing i'iuid and a secondary means receiving energy from the fluid providing in constage of the turbine shifts because of demand of torque ratio to implnge on the tabs iN, causing the reaction member to spiral -into'the iluid cir- Upon initiall movement of the reaction member tending to spiral into the circuit. the threads i on the carrier oi. the reaction member disengage the dogs I and engage the threads Il. on thel sleeve I and-advance thereon to the approaches Il! on the threads I". The approaches il! serve to guide the threads l into engagement with-the threads Ill, and as the carrier advances on thethreads lll the reaction member spirals into the uid circuit against the Prosressively increasing resistance imposed by the springs III.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain speciiic embodiments, the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will readily occur to per-v sonsskilledintheart. Il1emventionis,there fore, to be limited only as indicated by thescope oi' the appended claims.

junction with one another a iluid power transmission circuit, means .for delivery of iluid into the circut. a spring-pressed slide valve carried by the secondary means and activated by centrifugal force for control o! the iiow of'uid from the delivery means operative at idling speed ci the primary means to redirect the flow of iluid. and means tor impeding the redirected ilow so as to resist movementof the secondary means.

2. A uuid transmission comprising primary means :or energizing nuid and secondary means for receiving energy` from the iluid providing in conjunction with one another a uid power transmitting circuit; a iixed support. a pump for dev livering uid intothe circuit, a valve carried by the turbine and activated by centrifugal force for directing the delivery of iiuid from the pumpto the circuit, and cooperative means on the turbine and support to obstruct the iiow of iluid between a out oi' the nuid circuit, means for delivery ot fluid into the circuit, and means carried by the turbine said 'deliveryor delivering fluid into the circuit between the impeller and turbine at high speeds oi rotation oi the turbine and for delivering iiuid into the circuit between the turbine and reaction member at low speeds of rotation of the turbine.

'RAYMOND J. MILLER. 

